The Graduate
by Bottles
Summary: It's graduation time but not for who you think... A collaborative work by bottles and no banksie. Chadam elements.


**THE GRADUATE**

**AUTHOR**: Bottles and no banksie

**RATING**: PG

**DISCLAIMER.**

Chadam. PLEASE NOTE THAT CHADAM IS A WARNING. IT IS THE COMBONATION OF THE NAMES OF CHARLIE CONWAY AND ADAM BANKS. GUESS WHAT THAT MEANS. IN LAYMAN'S TERMS – SLASH!

**SUMMARY.**

It's not for who you think…Chadam.

**QUICK NOTE.**

This is a collaborative effort from Bottles and no banksie with inspiration from a recent preschool graduation of our own that we had to attend. We would like to thank Taylor and the carrot cake for their love and generosity…especially the cake.

But we are not cake eaters.

**The Graduate**

**12:20PM**

Adam opens the driver side door of his silver Mustang and pushes his seat forward, so as to allow the sullen brunette room enough to climb out of the cramped backseat. On the other side of the car, a little boy of five waits for Adam to come and grab his hand. As he accepts Adam's proffered hand, he grins cheekily at his father. They are at his favorite restaurant, Chic Fil-A. The sun beams merrily overhead in a cloudless sky as they walk towards the door, and the sullen brunette stiffly follows after them, his head bowed and hands shoved in his pockets. He is not happy.

The little boy bounds with Adam towards the counter, happily babbling. Adam interrupts him. "What do you want to eat, Jakob?"

Adam lifts Jakob up from the ground and balances him between himself and the register. "I want chicken."

"You just want chicken?"

"And fries. And a milkshake. And a Coke. Can it be a big milkshake?"

"No," the brunette replies, finally catching up with his better half.

Adam glares.

"Of course it can be big, Jakob. Today is your big day, sweetie."

**12:34PM**

"Can I go play now, daddy?" Jakob asks, ketchup smeared all over his five-year-old face.

"How about you finish all this damn food that I paid for before you run off and go play?" Charlie asks his son.

Adam swiftly kicks Charlie under the table. Charlie chagrins and glares at his husband. "What the hell-"

Adam mutters under his breath. "You'd better behave yourself today, Charlie Conway." Adam then turns to Jakob and smiles. "Of course you can go play outside." Adam grabs a napkin and gently wipes off Jakob's face, and points him in the direction of the playground. "Don't fight with any of the kids, and do not get dirty."

As Jakob eagerly runs off, Adam leans forward across the table from Charlie and grabs Charlie's hand. "What is the matter with you today, Charlie?"

Charlie's tired eyes meet Adam's. "You didn't have to sleep in the choo-choo bed last night!" Charlie crows indignantly. Adam throws back his head and laughs.

"Is that why you're so grouchy?"

"You try to curl up in a bed half your size, that reeks of Play-Doh and urine, and then come happily to me and tell me what a great night you had."

"You didn't have to sleep in Jakob's bed last night, Charlie."

"Oh yes I did. You know why? Because when I got done changing Jakob's sheets, I walked back into our bedroom and what did I see? You two, hogging up all the damn space. So I figured that I would be the good guy for once and not wake Jakob or you up again."

"It was your turn to change his sheets, Charlie."

Charlie grumbles still.

"Cheer up, Charlie. Today is a really special day for Jakob, and we need to make it the best that we can. How many times do you get to see your only son graduate?" Adam rubs his thumb reassuringly over Charlie's hand. "And maybe we can coerce Jakob into spending the night with his friend Taylor, and then you and I can have the bed all to ourselves."

A corner of Charlie's mouth tugs upward, although he is obviously trying not to smile.

"Let's go find our son. I'm sure he's dirty, as usual."

**12:42PM**

Back on the road, Adam and Jakob happily sing along to Old McDonald, and from the backseat, Charlie tries to sing, although he is horribly off tune and cannot carry a note to save his life.

Jakob turns to Adam and stage whispers, "Maybe Charlie shouldn't sing, daddy."

Adam looks at Charlie in the rearview mirror and laughs at his expression. Charlie frowns and flicks Adam in the shoulder. "Why don't you want me to sing Jake?"

Jakob turns halfway around and grins. "Cause Adam sounds better, Dad."

**12:47PM**

The Mustang pulls into a parking lot that can only be described as a gas-guzzling suburban hell. "I'll take Jakob to his teacher while you find us seats, okay?" Adam says as he pulls Jakob out of the car. Charlie nods as he struggles to pull his now six foot body out of the car, and after banging his knees a few too many times and muttering a few choice words at Adam and his small sports car, Charlie staggers to the auditorium. He is handed an embossed leaflet that details the following preschool program. Jakob Alexander Conway-Banks is listed with the names of those who will graduate during the program, and then head off to kindergarten.

**12:52PM**

Charlie curses when he realizes that they pulled in too late to get good seats and that he and Adam must sit in the first row, where they will have to crane their necks upward to see their son. He is also vexed that he must sit next to an over weight woman who is sweating and flinging her arms about as she tries to adjust her mammoth camcorder. She reeks of cheap perfume.

**12:58PM**

Adam rushes into the auditorium and spots Charlie in the front row, uncomfortably edging away from a large woman. Adam races down the aisle as the curtain begins to rise. He squeezes past tripods and collapses into the seat next to Charlie as they both spot their son in the second row, beside his two best friends.

Charlie pokes Adam on the arm and speaks softly, "What took you so long?"

Adam looks incredulously at Charlie in the darkness. "Don't you see his hair and face? That cleanliness?!" he hisses.

They hold each other's hands as the children rise out of their plastic chairs to sing a round of "All You Need is Love."

**1:05PM**

Charlie turns to Adam and whines, "How long are they going to be singing?"

Adam ignores him.

**1:11PM**

Charlie stares at his watch, and then cringes when he hears feedback from the microphone. A pudgy blonde girl has approached the microphone and is mumbling nonsense into it. "What the hell is she doing," Charlie whispers to Adam, pressing his mouth close to his ear.

Adam turns to face Charlie, their faces merely inches apart. "She is reciting a poem."

"Do they all have to do that?" Charlie complains.

"Yes," Adam replies shortly.

"Does Jakob?"

Adam ignores him again.

Charlie mumbles to himself, "I didn't know he had a poem." Then he goes back to staring at his watch.

**1:22PM**

Jakob Alexander Conway-Banks makes his shaky way towards the microphone. Charlie is fitfully dozing off when he hears the chair beside him creak, as Adam tenses up and leans forward in anticipation. Jakob succumbs to stage fright as he stares out into the audience, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. Adam hurriedly leaps from his chair and crouches near the top of the stage. Charlie cracks open one eye, and then jumps to his feet when he realizes that his son is on stage. Behind him, a father tells him to sit the hell down but Charlie just flicks him off.

Jakob sees Adam and stops tugging on his pants. Adam smiles at him encouragingly and beings to mouth the lines of his poem. "Within your heart, keep one still, secret spot where dreams may go…" both father and son spoke the words of Louise Driscoll. Charlie creeps over beside Adam, but Jakob only sees his fairer father. With splendor, Jakob finishes his poem and instead of heading back to his chair like he was commanded to do, leaps into the arms of Adam, who squeezes his son tightly. The loud applause of the audience becomes replaced with the cooing of mothers.

And instead of reaching for his other father, who is staring at his little boy appraisingly, Jakob bounds back to his seat. Charlie is crestfallen at the blatant rejection. Adam sees this and cradles his husband in his arms as they go back to their seats.

**1:25PM**

Charlie stops weeping silently, and begins to sniffle into Adam's shirt.

Adam backs away gently. "Honey, this is cashmere."

**1:37PM**

The children on stage start to fidget.

So does Charlie.

**1:42PM**

The elder children who were graduating stood up from their chairs and snuck behind a side curtain. Charlie does not notice this, however, he is engrossed in 'Snake', a game on his cell phone.

**1:49PM**

The familiar sounds of Pomp and Circumstance echo across the auditorium as six children clad in white caps and gowns one by one begin to proceed down the aisle. Adam is angry at Charlie, because the latter has left their camera at home on their dresser and it was his responsibility to grab it on their way out the door. Adam has moved to the foot of the aisle to watch his son advance toward him, clad in his graduation attire, determined to capture this moment in his mind.

**1:50PM**

Adam's eyes water as his only son stumbles up the stage.

**1:52PM**

Charlie begs the obese woman beside him for the use of her camera so that he may take a photo of his son as he is handed his diploma. She concedes.

**1:55PM**

Pandemonium breaks out as the children clamber off the stage in search of their parents and a few of the toddlers waddle up to the microphone and blubber into the mike.

Jakob runs into Adam's arms, and like a scolded puppy, Charlie follows after his husband. "You were terrific, Jake!" Adam praises, "Definitely the best one here."  
Jakob stares uncertainly at his other father, who looks sad. He cautiously steps towards Charlie with his arms outstretched, and instantly knows that it was the right thing to do, for Charlie beams and lifts his son high into the air and tickles him. Jakob squeals with laughter and from under his dangling legs, Charlie can see Adam grinning at him proudly.

Charlie places Jakob back on the ground moments before a short, sandy blonde haired boy runs up to him. "Jakob ask your dad if you can stay with me tonight."

Charlie winks at Adam and turns towards Taylor, "Why Taylor I think that would be just fine." Charlie ignores the cheers coming from his son and his son's best friend. He couldn't help but smile when the thought crossed his mind, _There will be no choo-choo bed for me tonight_.

For all those who didn't think of it, Jakob is an adopted son of Charlie and Adam.

Please review!


End file.
